FOCAL THEVA Center and Surround User Guide

: October 30, 2023
: FOCAL

FOCAL THEVA Center and Surround

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS! English

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CAUTION

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RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT OPEN

The bolt of lightning in an equilateral triangle warns the user that the device has high voltage that could result in a risk of electric shock.| WARNING: To prevent any risk of electric shock, do not remove the cover (or the back) from the device. There are no user-serviceable parts in this device. For maintenance or repairs, contact a qualified professional.| Warning symbol. This symbol is designed to warn the user of the presence of important instructions mentioned in the user manual and relating to the handling, operation and maintenance of the device.

Read these instructions.
Keep these instructions.
Heed all warnings.
Follow all instructions.
Do not use this apparatus near water.
Clean only with dry cloth.
Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including amplifiers) that produce heat.
Only use attachments/accessories specified by the manufacturer.
Use only with the cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table specified by the manufacturer, or sold with the apparatus. When a cart is used, use caution when moving the cart/ apparatus combination to avoid injury from tip-over.
Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. Servicing is required when the apparatus has been damaged in any way, such as powersupply cord or plug is damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus, the apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or has been dropped.
When using the device, the ambient temperature should not exceed 95°F (35 degrees Celsius).
Do not use this device in tropical climates.
Do not place naked flame sources, such as lit candles, near the device.
The appliance should only be mounted on a wall or ceiling if the manufacturer allows for this.
This product has sharp corners. Handle it with care.
Do not attempt to repair this device yourself. Opening the device may be dangerous. Contact a qualified professional for all work on the device.
When replacement components are needed, use only the components specified by the manufacturer or components with identical technical features to those of the original product. Using non-compliant components could cause fires, electric shocks or other risks.
After any maintenance or repair work on the device, test it to check that it is working safely.
Turn the source to minimum before connecting the products and turning up the volume. Once the products are in place, gradually increase the volume to a reasonable and comfortable level.
To avoid damaging your hearing, do not listen to loudspeakers at high volumes for long periods of time. Listening to loudspeakers at an excessive volume can cause damage to the user’s ears and may lead to hearing problems (temporary or permanent deafness, buzzing in the ears, tinnitus, hyperacusis). Exposing your ears to a volume higher than 85dB SPL-LAeq for several hours can irreversibly damage your hearing.
**(CEI 60417-6044)

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After removing the product from its packaging, keep the packaging out of the reach of children. It could present a suffocation risk.
Some users who are not self-sufficient enough to use the product on their own without danger. In particular, children under 14 or people with some types of disabilities must be supervised and/or accompanied when using the device.

Conditions of warranty

All Focal loudspeakers are covered by warranty drawn up by the official Focal distributor in your country. Your distributor can provide all details concerning the conditions of warranty. Warranty cover extends at least to that granted by the legal warranty in force in the country where the original purchase invoice was issued.

REGISTER YOUR PRODUCT ONLINE

http://www.focal.com/

Thank you for purchasing a Focal product. Welcome to our High-Fidelity world. Innovation, tradition, excellence and pleasure are our values; our one and only aim is to bring you a sound that is rich, pure and true. To get the most out of your product, we recommend that you read the instructions in this booklet, then store it in a safe place to refer to in the future.

Package Content

Handling (fig. A)

The Theva loudspeakers have sharp corners.
Take care not to injure yourself when handling them.

Grilles (fig. B)

The Theva loudspeakers are supplied with grilles to protect the speaker drivers. They are easy to fit or remove thanks to their magnetic attachment system.
We advise removing them when you are listening to music to get the best performance from your loudspeakers.

Connections (fig. C)

Theva connectors provide reliable, multi-purpose contacts for stripped cables (up to 3/16” – 4mm diameter), fork terminals or banana connectors. It is imperative that you respect the polarity of the loudspeakers. The connector marked “+” must be connected to the positive output on the amplifier, and the connector marked “-” must be connected to the negative terminal. Stereo image and bass perception will be seriously compromised if these conditions are not respected. Choose good quality cables with a cross-section appropriate for their length: your dealer will be able to advise you.

Recommendations for Use

The way the loudspeakers behave depends on the room’s acoustics, the correct positioning of the loudspeakers within the room and the listener’s location.
You can tweak each of these elements to correct or improve a desired effect.

The sound is harsh, aggressive : your room’s acoustics are probably too reverberant. Consider using sound-absorbing materials (rugs, sofa, wall coverings, curtains, etc.) and sound-reflecting materials (furniture) to absorb or diffuse resonance.
The sound is “flat”, strangled : there are too many sound-absorbing materials in the room; the sound is soaked up and has no depth. Aim for a better balance between the absorbent and reflective materials within your room.

In general, aim to have a reflective wall behind the loudspeakers so that the sound develops correctly.
The wall behind the listening area, meanwhile, will ideally be absorbent to prevent rear reflections from “contaminating” the perception of the stereo image. Furniture can be placed judiciously on the side walls to diffuse the sound waves and therefore ensure certain frequency ranges are not excited, particularly in the midrange (suppression of flutter echoes).

Positioning the Theva Center (fig. D, E)

The central loudspeaker should be placed close to the screen for realistic dialogue reproduction. It can be placed beneath the television if the TV unit allows this.
If a standard projection screen is used, the central loudspeaker must be placed below the screen for optimum results. (fig. D)
If a micro-perforated screen is used, it can then be placed behind and towards the lower half of the screen.
If positioning the loudspeaker on a furniture unit, make sure you stick on the silicone feet before installation. You can also add the rubber base beneath the loudspeaker, in the space provided, to tilt the loudspeaker backwards and thereby slightly lift the soundstage. (fig. E)

Positioning of Theva Surround loudspeakers (fig. F)

The complexity of today’s film soundtracks, particularly those mixed in 5.1 or 7.1, allows a very broad diversity of surround effects to be achieved. The choice of where to position the Surround loudspeakers is therefore a deciding factor in achieving a realistic three-dimensional space.
The aim is to achieve sounds that are sufficiently diffused and difficult to locate by applying some basic rules.
Avoid placing the Surround loudspeakers too far back in the listening area, as the perception will be compromised. Opt for a position on the side walls to obtain the most enveloping sound effects.

Sit in your listening position
Refer to the positioning diagram (fig. F). It gives you the best position for your 5.1 and 7.1 loudspeakers.

Fixing the Theva Surround to the wall (fig. G, H)

Stick the feet onto the back of the loudspeaker in the spaces provided.
Position then fix the wall bracket onto the partition. The height at which the screws will be fixed corresponds to the height of the tweeter. Screws and wall plugs are not supplied. Only use wall plugs suitable for the nature of your partition.
Connect the cables to the loudspeaker before hanging it on the wall.
Hold the loudspeaker in front of the wall bracket. Attach the loudspeaker firmly to the bracket by applying pressure to the top of it.

Break-in Period

The speaker drivers used in Theva loudspeakers are complex mechanical components which require a certain time to adapt to operate at their best and to become acclimatized to the temperature and humidity of the listening environment. This break-in period varies depending on the climate and may last a few weeks. To reduce the break-in period, we recommend operating the loudspeakers for approximately twenty consecutive hours. Once the loudspeakers’ characteristics have totally stabilized, you will be able to enjoy your Theva loudspeakers’ performance to the full.

Special Precautions

The only maintenance required for the Theva loudspeakers is dusting with a dry cloth. If your loudspeaker becomes dirty, we recommend simply cleaning it with a damp cloth.
Never use solvents, detergents, alcohol-based or corrosive products, scrapers or scourers to clean the surface of a loudspeaker.
Keep the loudspeakers away from sources of heat.

Choosing the right amplifier

It is not an excess of amplifier power that can damage your loudspeakers and speaker drivers but a lack of power. Moreover, if the volume is turned up too high, the amplifier saturates and generates parasite signals that may damage the tweeter. The dynamic capacity and definition of Theva loudspeakers are sufficient to reveal the strengths and weaknesses of whatever amplifier is connected. Your retailer will be able to help you choose the amplifier best suited to your tastes and budget.

Conditions of warranty

All Focal loudspeakers are covered by warranty drawn up by the official Focal distributor in your country.
Your distributor can provide all details concerning the conditions of warranty. Warranty cover extends at least to that granted by the legal warranty in force in the country where the original purchase invoice was issued.

Correct elimination of this product.

This marking indicates that within the EU this product should not be disposed of with other household wastes. To prevent any risk to the environment or human health, please recycle them responsibly to encourage the reuse of material resources. To return your used device, please use the return and collection systems available, or contact the retailer where you purchased the product. They can recycle this product safely.

THE FOCAL SOUND

You have just purchased a Focal product. We would like to thank you and welcome you to our world, a world of music and emotions. Our key values are innovation, tradition, performance and pleasure. Wherever you are, our only aim is to bring you exceptional sound from our solutions.

FOCAL COLLECTIONS

Combining performance and design, Focal’s collections are a revelation, awakening the emotions through a supreme listening experience. And it doesn’t matter where you are. At home with traditional and in-wall/ in-ceiling loudspeakers, Home Cinema systems and open-back headphones; on the go with closed-back headphones and in-car kits; in the studio with professional monitors; and even at sea with specialist yacht solutions.

INNOVATION

Our products stand apart for their exclusive patented technologies – you won’t find them anywhere else – as well as for the way in which they have been designed and created by our sound engineers. Our workshops are places where handcrafted creations sit alongside cutting-edge techniques, all in the name of audio. We cultivate fine-tuning and precision, which is what makes us excellent.

EXCELLENCE

Our distinction is to create the very best solutions that deliver the ultimate listening experience. We will only offer you a product if we are convinced that it will be the gold standard in its category. Our expertise in acoustics combined with complete control over our manufacturing process is what enables us to present unique products.

HANDCRAFTED IN FRANCE

Founded in 1979, Focal continues to write its own history each day, driven by men and women whom possess unique know-how. We are proud to manufacture exceptional products in our production workshops in SaintÉtienne and cabinetry workshops in Bourbon Lancy, France. Every day we honour this exclusive heritage, which has afforded us certification as a French Living Heritage Company and recognition worldwide.

UTOPIA

Symbolic of Focal exceptionalism, our Utopia lines embody ‘the impossible made possible’. The story began in 1995, with Grande Utopia. A technological gamble, packed with innovations and with audacious styling, this loudspeaker would give rise to an entire generation of products universally acclaimed by the international press. Today, the Grande Utopia EM Evo hi-fi loudspeakers, Utopia headphones, the Utopia M line for vehicles and the 1000 Series Utopia integrated loudspeakers embody Focal excellence.

Customer Support

Focal-JMlab®
– BP 374 – 108, rue de l’Avenir – 42353 La Talaudière cedex – France – www.focal.com
Tel. (+33) 04 77 43 57 00 – Fax (+33) 04 77 43 57 04 – SCCG – 07/04/2023 – v1